Home, sweet home...

-= Two hours later. Entering the faun community =-

- Diana, have you got it all figured out? - I asked the girl for the sixth time.

- Yes, brother. I have to explain to your family that you decided to do this ritual on your own, it's secret, so I won't tell them the details, but the practice involves a variety of ointments with ash additives and special elixirs. It has changed you so much in a year. You were warned and agreed to it yourself. I remember everything, don't worry.

- Well...

I can't believe it's going to go right. If something can go wrong, it will. That's always been my rule! So, where am I now? Yeah...

Well, I've got an escape plan. It's not like Alice is going to kill me after all. But something's got my bells and whistles a little tight...

-= Five minutes later, The house of the Blood family =-

I knocked on the door and heard "I'm coming!" from the other side. Mum. OK, how do I start a conversation? How about, "I've changed a lot over the summer"? No, no, no, that's silly... Or maybe...

The door opened abruptly, and Mum looked at me. She didn't look for more than two seconds, then she jumped up suddenly and hugged me with a shout, "Artorias!"

Ha-ha, and I thought... Naturally, the birth mother permanently recognizes her child...

- Hey, Mom, I'm back...

- Art! *sob* How you've grown, don't you... Don't you recognize...? Who's your young companion? - She turned her attention to Diana.

- This is my Master.

- Nice to meet you; my name is Diana Lua'Zine. I am Master Kel'Gos, and I am also his big sister. - She bowed her head and looked me winningly in the eye.

I made the familiar inter-world gesture, then rubbed the bridge of my nose. Diane-ah... Why are you looking at me victoriously with a 'How's that? I'll have to improvise...

- Mum, let's go inside and... Are Dad and Alice in? - I remembered.

- Y-yes, they're home. Do you want me to call them? Mother ran into the house, and I led Diana down the corridor.

I walked Diana into the living room, telling her to relax and make herself "at home." We sat on the sofa, and I looked at the objects around us...

Home, sweet home... Nothing had changed in a year. Same couch, same furniture... Same evil Alice...

Um...

- Alice, hello! The important thing is to get her off the fuse. - Oh, it's so good to see you!

Run up and give her a big hug. *Sigh* She's grown again... Why am I not growing? No, I'm growing, but she's... She's growing faster! And now she's a head taller than me... Eh-heh-heh... Tomatoes...

- B-brother? Brother! Alice hugged me back. - Have you changed your hair?

- Aha! Well? - What else was I supposed to say to a question like that?

- Art, Dad's gonna come out of the bathroom, and you'll tell me everything, OK? - She's got the last word underlined.

- Aha! - And a smile, a la idiot.

I heard three slaps to the face and the third, who? Ah... It's Mum back... That's a woman's solidarity...

Now the whole family was in the room, including Diana. The father greeted me cheerfully, hugged me tightly and lamented that his children were growing fast. Then Diana began her story...

*Sigh* I wish I had told it better. This is a failure. She's repeating word for word what I told her to say for the eighth time... And I just sit there and nod. As the saying goes: the best way to get a message across is to blow the mind of the person you're talking to. Yes...

- Diane, thank you, let me take it from here. - I'm rubbing the bridge of my nose.

- All right, brother. - the priestess closed her eyes.

- A ritual was performed in which Diana and I were twinned...

I was masterful at bullshit. The main thing is to say everything in a monotone voice, then the interlocutors will get sick of it and stop listening. Yes, my Genius is as great as ever...

-= Two hours later =-

- ...And that's why Rapier Wasps are dangerous! - I ended my speech brilliantly.

- А? Ah... Yes, we're so glad you're alright, and the Ursas are... They're Grimms. - my father cleverly added.

- Anyway, Diana's staying with us, we've got four more empty rooms, right? - We'll take them in warmly. - No, if you don't mind, we can go away again...

- Our parents agree, don't they?! - Alice asked, squinting her eyes.

- Yes, yes, we agree! Stay as long as you need, and we'll... Go and talk to Dad. - His mother took him by the arm and led him to the top floor.

I was about to get up too, but Alice stopped me.

- Well, well, well... Where are you going? Now you and I are going to talk... About the misses..." I just nodded.

-= Wynter and Kira Blood's room =-

Kira waved her hand, and a golden barrier enveloped the room. Then she turned to Wynter, who was rubbing his eyes tiredly.

- Are you sure this is a good idea? Did you smell death on her? How many had to be killed to get that smell?! - Winter began pacing around the room, putting his hands behind his back. - A thousand? Two thousand? Kiera, the Blood Priestess, is very... Very dangerous... And you know what the worst part is? Our son has begun to emit a similar odour...

Wynter paused beside his chair, sighed wearily, and settled back into it.

- Winter, calm down. It'll be all right. Haven't you seen the way she looks at him? That's how they look at their saviour, I don't know what happened between them, but she's certainly not going to do anything to him. And the threads? Have you seen what he's doing to them! - Kira flailed her arms. - They've been hovering around Art all the time! We ought to thank her for infusing our son with intelligent paranoia...

- I don't like you talking about it that way... But you're right; it's better to be constantly vigilant and wary than get stabbed in the back... *Sigh* There have been incidents..." The man looked at the flickering barrier. - All the more so... They happened to us... Where is our team now, and where are we?

- Winter..." The woman moved into her husband's lap. - This hatred between the races is hard to overcome. We were lucky then, and I don't want... I don't want the same thing to happen to Artorias or Alice. Alice is easier... She's almost indistinguishable from humans; in this case, the hidden trait does wonders, but Art... He stands out a lot now.

- That too. What could have changed him so much? We're not stupid; we've seen that he doesn't want to tell us, and he's been trying to talk some sense into us. - rolled his eyes at Winter.

- He's always been a very clever kid, so if anything happens, he... He'll come to us, and we'll help him. - Kira replied and smiled. - If he doesn't want to tell us, let him stay that way. We have no right to ask him.

- After all, we have much worse secrets to tell. - Wynter finished sadly for his wife. - But the fact that he's killed before... Killed, not Grimms... That's too bad; we'll talk to him about that. He shouldn't go down the wrong path.

- He won't. Of course, we'll talk to him about it, but I believe he killed for a reason. I can feel it...

Winter smiled and kissed his wife on the lips.

-= Twenty minutes later. Living room =-

- ...And that's why you're not going to lie to your little sister anymore, you understand, Art?! - ...my sister's done picking my brain.

- OK. Please stop yelling in my ear; I get it! I GOT IT! - My right ear went deaf long ago. - Sister, I just remembered that I never wished you a happy birthday (no, I wished you one on a scroll, but not in person). So, I have been wondering for a long time what to choose for you... And then my eye came across this item...

I pulled out a small gift box.

We initially went to the city with Diana to buy new clothes for her and me and to see the local sights simultaneously. Without regular garments, we stood out a lot: first of all, we were both fans and secondly, my skin, hair and eyes concentrated too much on me; on the other hand, so did Diana, her grayish hair and Miko costume...

Anyway, we went shopping. I chose for the two of us, buying myself a grey hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and the usual comfortable black trainers. For the priestess, I picked out a pretty grey dress with moth patterns, a grey hat to hide her ears (I knew how to pin my ears down, but the Miko didn't yet), and white leather sandals. Then we went to pick out some underwear for her... All in all, it was fun...

We went shopping and didn't deny ourselves anything, I had money (my parents had opened an account for me, and there was a good amount saved up for "minor expenses"), and Diana had money (left over from unfriendly guests). This is what a date is supposed to look like...

So, we walked around the shop and went into the jewellery store. There I looked out for two things: a necklace and a hairpin.

A silver necklace with a pendant shaped like a spider, with a scarlet garnet encrusted in its belly. I bought it immediately and put it on Diana; I could practically feel the connection between it and the priestess. She smiled and hugged me for the gift. It felt good. I don't think she's faking her emotions; I don't want to think so...

My second purchase was a gold hairpin shaped like a sun with black pearls in the centre. When I saw it, I immediately decided to buy it and give it to Alice. There was a feeling of something familiar... A slipping sensation in my chest... Pain or loss... Maybe that was my memories of the past wandering around? My forgotten memories? I don't know, and now, learning about the curses, I don't really want to remember... But it is necessary. One needs to remember the past so one can avoid mistakes in the future. Remember to know who you are.

And so I pulled out a box with a hairpin inside and handed it to Alice, overseeing her reaction.

She carefully opened the box. Then... Her hands shook, and she dropped the package to the floor, tears beginning to pool in Alice's eyes.

- Hey, hey, what, you didn't like the present? But..." I was starting to panic.

- Why... Why did you choose her? - my sister asked quietly. Tears streamed endlessly from her eyes.

- I-I... I..." I couldn't find the words. - It seemed to me that she would be good for you...

- Why? You. I did. You did? - Alice said, looking at me.

- *Sigh* You... - I have to find the words. - You... Always reminded me of the sun filling my emptiness.

It was true. I used to get lonely; I knew I had to save the world, and... I... I didn't want to let... Let me down. Let the world down. I didn't remember anything about myself; I didn't know anything about the world. I often thought it was all a dream and I was about to wake up. A terrible dream...

Then Akasha came along and, heh, brightened my day.

But then... Then I had a sister... The closest living thing in this world. I now realize that my parents are also the closest thing to me. Then I... *sighs* I accepted them as my parents. I loved them. But... I still had a worm of doubt... "Do I deserve their love?", "What if Akasha lied and their real son died, and a monster like me took his place?"... I realize now how stupid I was, and I would give my life for everyone in my family without question.

My sister "melted away" the fear and filled the void with her light. She was the sunshine in my empty world without memories. Alice created many positive emotions that I will forever hold in my mind. And it had a profound effect on me. I decided to give my life for her, not because she was my little sister. Not just because I was reborn and she was living her life for the first time. Not just because she's my treasure...

But because she deserves it. Warming me with her warmth and joy. By her irrepressibility, bordering on diligence. By her existence in my life!

I've had plenty of time to realize it all...

Alice opened her eyes wide and mumbled faintly, "Say it again...".

- You always reminded me of the sun filling my emptiness. - I smiled and explained. - That's why I chose this hairpin. To show that you are the sun in my emptiness...

Alice burst into tears, repeating, "It's you..." and smiling happily. Then she carefully picked up the hairpin that had fallen out of the box as she fell and pressed it to her chest.

I was in complete... Shock... At Alice's change in emotion. Diana and I looked at each other. The priestess had the same mute question on her face as I did. "What's going on anyway?"

Meanwhile, Alice calmed down and walked over to me.

She hugged me tightly, kissed me on the lips, then stepped back, saying she needed to wash her face, and walked towards the bathroom.

- Diana... You... You can read people's emotions in their faces, can't you? - I asked Miko a question. - Can you tell me what... What happened?

I could have used Study on her, but Diana told me not to. Maybe it's stupid, but I'm going to follow her ban.

- Brother, I don't know... At first, she was terrified and didn't believe what she saw. And then all emotion was gone from her face. Only at the end, there was hope and joy and... fear... It's a very... Violent mixture. I don't know what could have caused that..." answered Diana thoughtfully.

- I see..." I muttered quietly to myself. - If she wants to, she will tell me.

-= Ten minutes later =-

Alice returned. Her perpetually loose golden hair was now braided into a braid running down to her chest, and my present held back her hair.

- Art, Diana, I'm sorry for my behaviour; I... I just couldn't believe such a beautiful gift for me! - The girl smiled mischievously.

- It's OK. Emotions just show that you are living. - Diana's wise to say.

- Nothing... Just don't scare me like that anymore, that's all. - By the way, your new haircut looks great on you!

- Thank you, Art! - and I made a cute little face. Why don't we have a spare...

- Artorias. Your mother and I need to have a serious talk with you. - interrupted by her father coming into the room.

- Um, well... OK?

I told Alice to try to make friends with Diana and followed Father into the room. The first thing that surprised me was the golden light that surrounded all the walls in the room, making it look mystical. Mother was sitting at the table and looked at me and Father seriously. Now, I don't like where this is going...

- Son, do you know who Diana is? - Dad asked me bluntly.

- Well... She's my Master, and she's also a priestess. - I guess the 'smile a la idiot' thing won't work anymore.

- Art, stop being sarcastic; I'm asking if you know who she is.

Of course, I know. He's asking if I know what she's done. More specifically... How many people she's killed. He can't be unaware of someone like Diana the Bloody Priestess, so there's no surprise there. If this is a serious conversation, we need a serious answer. There's no way around it, so we'll have to be straightforward...

- Yes, I know she's a Blood Priestess. And no, I'm not afraid of her. Sure, Diana can be weird sometimes... OK, she's really weird, but we... We've really bonded over the last year. - I've been trying to find the right words.

- Art, she's killed a lot of people. A lot of people and fauns. More than a thousand. - Mother got up from her chair. - We Hunters can sense things like that. And, Art, you're starting to reek of death, too...

Fuck! Fuckin' hell. They found out I had killed someone. They... They need to know.

- I'll tell you. Diana and I were walking through town...

I told them the same thing I said, Adam. With all the details. Including torture.

- ...If I had the chance to do otherwise, the only thing I'd change would be to prolong their suffering. Wouldn't have killed them to make them suffer longer. Such biowaste has no right to die as well as to live...

There was a tense silence in the room. I stared at my clenched fists while my parents were thinking about something.

- Art. My mother spoke first. - We... We understand why you did it. *Sigh* But you're too young... I was first killed when I was thirteen. I won't give you the details, but that man deserved it. We... We're afraid that Diana will break you. Or you'll break yourself...

- Son, don't listen to her. Tell me, did you enjoy the torture? Did you feel all-powerful, holding their lives in your hands? - My father touched my shoulder and looked earnestly into my eyes.

- No... I felt disgusted. And the torture I used... Because I wanted them to suffer. To suffer for everything they had done. - I answered with the honest truth.

- Then you did the right thing. Although I disapprove of torture. But... *Heavy sigh* But you have the right to decide what you will do; the important thing is... If you start to feel the feelings I described... Talk to your mother and me, OK? We're apprehensive about you, son.

- OK. - I nodded gravely. Dad, can I ask you a question?

- Sure.

- Why... What's that golden thing in the room?

- It's my Essence. - Mother answered. - I can create all sorts of barriers. For example, it's a barrier that blocks outgoing sound. We can't be overheard. I can, for example, create a barrier with reduced or increased gravity, the amount of air, and many other kinds... But everything has limitations.

- Hmmm... OK, you have a remarkable ability, Mom! - and then I remembered that Diana and Alice were alone in the room. - Right, well, I'm off; they're waiting for me!

- What a child you are at times, Art..." I heard myself running away.

Now Diana and Alice were having a friendly conversation, sitting comfortably on the couch. Yeah... Did they get together fast?

- I don't want to ruin your idyll, but it's just me. - I came into the room. - Diane, we have practice time in ten minutes.

- I remember, brother.

- Whoa! Art, I was going to ask you to spar! - Alice jumped up from her seat.

- Alice, that's very dangerous. I don't know how you trained, but Diana taught me how to kill. So, no.

- Ah-ha, look what I've got! - Alice pulled out a scroll and started clicking something in it. - It's a program they use at Hunter Academy for sparring! It allows the scroll to read an aura and shows it as a graphic panel on the screen. See, the green one is the whole aura, the yellow one is in the middle, and the red one is in the danger zone. As soon as the aura of one of the sparring contestants reaches the red zone, the scroll makes a sound and announces the winner. Isn't that cool?

What the [bleep]? The scroll reads the aura? It can't... Or can it? What do I even know about them? Nothing, except that scrolls are used by everyone on Remnant...

- Well..." I wanted to see how much stronger she had become. - Let's spar. Only Diana will watch and intervene if anything happens. You don't mind, do you, Diana?

- I'm up for it, brother. But on the condition that you don't imbue the weapon with aura.

- Of course, I will.

- Come on, let's go! - My sister's pulling us by the arms.

-= Three minutes later. Street =-

- You ready, brother?

- Yes, attack, Alice.

Hee hee hee, now let's see how big she is... Can she beat me? Perhaps yes, perhaps not...

I stood up, shoved my hands into my hoodie pockets and activated my aura. Immediately after starting her aura, a golden haze hit her sister, and she ran toward me.

Hmmm... And she's fast, probably even faster than me. But not by much.

Alice put her hand on the hilt of her katana and came close to me. Then she began to launch speed attacks. It's fast; I can keep track of them, but... It's pretty complicated. But I know a tricky way to block the speeders...

I bounced away from Alice, taking my hands out of my pockets, and her punch went into the milk; she immediately got close and continued her attack, but...

I just surrounded myself with a sphere of threads. Whenever I feel the sword and line coming into contact, I add new threads to that spot. That way, they don't tear and hold back the blow for a higher level - deflecting blows; I'm still getting ready... But what is available to me now is simple and effective. This kind of defence is called "Sota."

Uh-oh, she's surprised and doesn't understand why she can't break the strings.

Heh heh, OK, now we need to piss her off.

- Is that all you've learned? Slap-a-dub-dub-dub...

Hee hee hee, I've awakened Berserker! Wow, the speed increased even more, and now... WOW!

A slashing wave came at me, splitting the ground in half, but... This I can still hold back...

Oops... OK, moving, now clamping the control thread in my teeth... I concentrated most of the line at the point where the wave hit, and... I was even carried a few meters along the ground... Well, what can I say... Powerful!

A more enormous cloud of dust rose from the impact... Sensible. Take your opponent's eyes away, and you can take him by surprise...

Which Alice tried to do, attacking first from the side, then from the front, then from behind and at the last moment from above...

The whole thing didn't even take five seconds. Hmm, that's her limit for now. OK, time for me to show my power.

I moved my fingers as if kneading them, and the threads dispersed the cloud.

- You have become strong, sister... But our styles are antipodes to each other... Give up, and then... I will make you my right hand! - I'll make you my right hand!

- Never, you dark beast! - Alice picked up on my game. - I must defeat you... In the name of... Um... In the name of SEALs!

- *hand-face* Alice... You said: "In the name of the SEALs," Did I hear you? Thank you, but you're not right for us. They like biscuits, not cats.

While chatting, I surrounded the ground around my sister with strings... Hee hee hee, she's in my trap.

- What do you have against kitties? They're funny! - Alice's righteous indignation.

- *Sigh* All right, all right, but, Hero, our battle will have to end here...

We stretch out our hand in front of Alice and snap our fingers in a pathos; OK, now we press the thread with our foot, aha, and clamp some cables between our fingers...

That was it; Diana's bondage lessons were taking effect. The threads surrounded the girl, tying her hands and feet in a position that made it extremely uncomfortable to draw the sword... She was now completely at my mercy...

- Hey, Art, that's not fair! Let go!

- No, no, no, that's it. Wait for your aura to wear off, or give up. Hee hee hee...

- OK, I give up..." Alice replied dejectedly.

I untied her and walked over to her. Then I hugged her, telling her how pleased I was with her progress.

- ...You've grown a lot! If you get any faster... I may not be able to beat off your attacks! So good for you, don't get discouraged.

- Pfft, Art, don't tell me to calm down, I'm happy you got so strong, and I don't regret losing. Almost no regrets... But the fact that you finally learned how to fight the threads is... It's really cool!

- It was hard... I still haven't mastered even fifteen percent of my teacher's skills, but... In four years, I will be stronger! And one day, I'll surpass Diana. I suppose...

- Brother, sister, beautiful fight. - A smiling Diana came up to us.

- Wait, what sister... - I did not understand.

- I asked Diana to call me that because if you are named relatives, I am too! - Alice explained. - I've always wanted a strong older sister! Now I have someone to discuss girl stuff with! Hee-hee!

- Well, well, good luck, don't be disappointed, hehe..." I added in a whisper.

- Did you say something?

- I'm saying I'm glad you two are friends!

Diane and I separated from Alice near the front of the house and headed out for an evening workout.

- Brother. I'm happy to have met you. - Diana suddenly said.

- I'm happy to have met you too. - I smiled at her.

- But your parents, they know who I am... And are wary of me... Are you sure I'm allowed to stay here?

- Don't worry; they don't know you like I do, so take it easy. Everything's going to be OK, I promise. - I took a breath, and then I continued: - Especially since Alice liked you, so soon you'll know all about fashion and women's gimmicks, something I couldn't tell you, ah ha ha ha!

The priestess smiled and nodded. And I wondered if there was still a long way to go to the top of this world...

-= Main World-X-000. Assembly of Pantheons =-

- What are you talking about? The devastator? No! They are all banished to NOTHING! - increasingly angry God in a red tunic and with stag horns.

- Kehr, calm down; it's not the devastator; the Devastators leave a distinctive trail of Chaos emanations behind them. - A glowing orb answered him.

- Maybe it's a new species. - The fairy asked.

- No, no, no, there are no new species...

- IT'S A SUPER SOUL! - A panting boy in a blue school uniform with a third eye on his forehead entered the hall.

There was silence in the giant hall. All the Deities turned to the boy.

- Melanie, explain yourself! - The Viking Progenitor demanded loudly.

- In world #982-Drir-021-Peg, the Gods gathered all the souls of living beings and decided to create a... Super Soul...

- WHAT?! - the hall erupted in screams.

- SILENCE! - shouted an Elder in a white tunic and a long white beard.

- Melanie, is it true? - he asked the boy.

- Y-yes, I had a vision today and went to see what happened to that world... It... It was ripped out of all levels of the Plan...

- Madmen... Why did they do this? Need to be more powerful? - The old man shook his head and turned to the hall. - We are in a total BLEEP, ladies and gentlemen.

The hall exploded with shouts and panic.